ACT - F.A.S.T. - Ladyfisher - December 07, 2009

[rtidd]

ACT - F.A.S.T.

Every once in a while you stumble across something really valuable. In 2007 Ronn Lucas Sr. sent me an email with very important information. I did some research and found the information was true.*I wrote a column then,*How To Survive a Heart Attack When Alone.

[Mato Kuwapi]

I wanted to bring this to your attention. Although the information in ACT F.A.S.T. is correct...the info in the link to what to do for a heart attack, in particular, coughing, is not accurate. It's another internet urban legend that got it's start in 1999 and is still making the rounds today.

PLEASE READ THIS:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/coughcpr.asp

It may save your life.

[LadyFisher]

I checked this out with my doctor, and she checked it out with a heart specialist here and both agreed, given a situation as described it is probably the best help you have when we first published it back in 2000. My concern in publishing it was as I said at the bottom, we had a friend in Wilsall MT who died fishing his favorite stream. Found the next day leaning against a tree. Johnny was known to have a heart problem.
I've been fishing in a lot of places where I could not take nor get an aspirin and my cell phone (which would have been in the car) would not have brought me any help if they could find me, and there probably wouldn't be any reception out there anyway.
I choose to remember how to do it - it could save MY life.

[Betty Hiner]

Fortunately, for me, this information was available in '92. I wouldn't be sitting here now were it not!

[kbproctor]

I would believe that the above is a really good reason to have a few aspirin in your vest. Heart problems do not run in my family but strokes do on both sides. You can bet I have aspirin in my vest. You can also bet that if I need to take that aspirin, that I am not going to care what might be in the water if that is all I have to take it with.

Now, if the aspirin doesn't help, I hope that when they find me, there is a 5lb 'bow just waiting to be reeled in on the end of the line and that someone has the sense to reel it in. At that point, I can wait a few minutes.

[Mato Kuwapi]

No worries... I can only pass on the info I have. The choice is yours if you want to accept it or not. You might want to pass this on to your physician though.

"The American Heart Association is the foremost authority on heart and stroke research.

Widely recognized as the most scientifically accurate publications available, American Heart Association continually updates it's publications to reflect the latest findings."



This is their Oct. 2007 publication on Cough CPR:

http://www.americanheart.org/present...dentifier=4535

[kbproctor]

After reading the above mentioned article:

OK, so they don't think it will help in the majority of cases. They don't say it hurts. If it becomes a case of coughin' or coffin, I think I will be coughin'. Who knows? I could be one of the minority cases that it does help.

Hope I don't scare that 5lb 'bow with all that coughing, though.

[LadyFisher]

"AHA Recommendation
The best strategy is to be aware of the early warning signs for heart attack and cardiac arrest and respond to them by calling 9-1-1. If you're driving alone and you start having severe chest pain or discomfort that starts to spread into your arm and up into your jaw (the scenario presented in the Internet article), pull over and flag down another motorist for help or phone 9-1-1 on a cellular telephone."

The information I was given and used in the articles may not be recommended as a part of the AHA's CPR Training but they admit they use it too. In ideal situations I think we all know we should call 9-1-1, and for me, I'll cough. And pray it doesn't happen when I am fishing the Yellowstone. Hey Tom? How's your CPR training?

[Mato Kuwapi]

The scenario keeps changing. Originally it was in a car alone, five minutes from a hospital...now its a float trip with a pro guide in the wilderness...


I had an occasion while I was fishing once where I thought I might have been in some "trouble". I was by myself and a long way from "help" of any kind. It's really odd what goes through your mind when these things pop up. I came to the conclusion that day, that if my time was coming to an end in a hurry and my heart gave out, standing in a creek with my fly rod was an OK way to go with me. It's weird how real peace falls upon you in a place like that. I can't think of a better way to go. It is an acceptable risk that I accept every time I go out in the bush alone.
It's not me I worry about. (helping the family cope is another topic)

As for being on a drift boat in Yellowstone... Carry aspirin, cough if you want...what ever floats your boat. At least the other guy will know your still alive if you're conscious enough to cough....and he can keep rowing. Just remember that this will tire you and your heart out faster. How long can you cough for?? If your heart stops...hopefully your deck partner would have accessed a cell phone tower by now, but in the middle of Yellowstone ????. Lets assume you know your guide and he knows CPR as he should...but hopefully he has one more very important trick up his sleeve or you won't need to worry about it.

I was a wilderness first aid instructor for many years. I still keep my CPR training up to date, so the other guy would get the best available...but CPR has it's limits. #1 - The human at the giving end can't do it forever. #2-It's very rare to get a heart started with just CPR alone. It's only a step in the chain of events that need to happen in order for someone to survive cardiac arrest. Realistically, one needs to have a defibrillator in close/timely proximity...or its all over.

In this day and age of affordable portable defibrillators, I'd suggest professional guides think of them as part of their first aid kits and have one on deck. It's really the only chance you have out there if your heart decides to stop. Believe me...You won't be five minutes away from an ER. IF your really worried about it...get one of your own and take it with you on those floats and make sure you show your partner.


If the risks of going out in the wilderness seem unexceptionable, ...ie; yes, you will most probably die if you suffer a cardiac arrest out there , then that sort of adventure is not for you. If that's a risk you're able to accept...you'll feel like I did that day on the river. If it's going to happen...I can't think of a better place than on the Yellowstone.

[LadyFisher]

Amen.
(Can you believe you have to have 10 characters for a post to work?)